St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-10-30
STILL IN THE AIR.
Elder Stewart Keeps Elder Blethen
From Touching Ground.
LIBELOUS SYMPOSIUM.
A Lame Complaint on the Part Of
the Tribune 800 Rich
Roasting.

Judge Rea yesterday listened pa
tiently at the special term of the dis
trict court to arguments on motions in
six suits brought by Elder Stewart
against that interesting fireside journal
and signal service reporter, the
Minneapolis Tribune, and two suits
against the elder instituted by the Trib-
une and that inOffenSive individual, A.
j. Blethen. Of the six suits against the
Tribune four were withdrawn by stip-
ulation that the pleadings might be
amended, and demurrerS to the COM
plant were argued in the other two.
In the first case the demurrer was that
no notice for retraction had been
served upon the paper. Seagrave Smith,
Stewards attorney, answered this by
simply calling attention to the fact that
the alleged libel was committed prior to
the passage of the law requiring
newspaper to retract upon notice.
In the other case the demurrer was that
the charge that the elder had moved
his Office to his home was not libel
per Sc, and that consequently there was
no cause of action. Judge Rea re-
served his decision IN both cases.
The demurrerS to the suits against
Stewart were next heard. Seagrave
Smith asserted that the allegation of the
defendant that he gave away in charity
every year more than the whole Trib-
une company is worth, above his debts,
was not libelOus.
Judge Real am satisfied that this is
not libelOus.
Seagrave Smith-There's no question
about that.
Judge Babcock made a strenuous ap-
peal to induce the court to consider the
demurrer, and was SO far successful that
Judge Rea finally said: "Oh, well, Pll
consider it."
The argument had the effect of bring
ing out portion of the complaint of
Blethen against Stewart not yet given
to the public, which is claimed to be
Ii belouS, and reads:
Mr.. Blethen tries to convey the impression
that he is a member of the Tribune company
instead OF an employe of the company,
which forcibly reminds one of the story of
'How We Apples SWIM Mr.. Blethen was
such fearful and reckless mud-slinger and
stench-stlrrer that they would do almost any
thing, or refuse to do it, rather than have him
open his skunk batters Oh them.
That the least unfriendly rub Of his dingy
cuticle or tabby hair is certain to bring
deluge that will not only smell to heaven"
but to the other place as well. A person of
average common sense knows enough when
he does lie, to do it at such a time, in such a
manner and 10 such people that somebody
will believe him and not in such way as 10
write himself liar all over his own state
ments. But when man is too drunk or too
foolish. he observes no cautionary rules, but
follows his natural bent. The proprietors of
the Tribune have made a grave mistake in
allowing such man as Mr.. Blethen to have
control OF influence in conducting it. He
has greatly damaged it from the start, be-
cause no one can tell what to believe
that he sees published in it. Mr.. Blethen re-
CARDS 1t as smart-a mark of newspaper abil-
fty-to misrepresent and deliberately falsify
even well known and thoroughly established
facts. Whereas newspaper. as well as an
individual. is bound to be seriously crippled,
if not absolutely wrecked, by settled repu-
tation of a common liar. But the present
owners of the Tribune, while they have been
very slow to discover their mistake, have at
last got round to it and have served notice on
Mr.. Blethen to quit and give him the grand
bounce next January"